JOSH SAMPSON ARRIVES ON THE SCENE WITH A NEW DIRECTION AND A UNIQUE SOUND

With the release of his debut EP 'Old Beginnings', Josh Sampson dips into the rock'n'roll canon to bring us a short, sharp collection of tracks that blends classic rock and alternative country elements. Described by Sampson as "scrappy and from the heart", this debut release is a guitar record that establishes his distinctive and original voice in our incredibly diverse Perth music scene.

Self recorded and produced, the EP reflects the wild ride between a song and its finished product. Rob Grant (Poonshead) and Doug Boehm (California - Rolling Blackouts, Coastal Fever, Florence and the Machine) polished the tracks with their final mix.
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"When you have a record that you're proud of, and that you believe in, and you stuck to your vision and didn't compromise when you made it, it's a beautiful feeling." - Josh Sampson​

​Tell us a little bit more about your debut, each track is so contrasting.
'Old Beginnings' is my first release, it's a record about family, my roots, ambition, frustration and passion.

'Run To Me' is a bit of a sonic cross between The Church and The Replacements - two great 80s guitar bands (one from Sydney and one from Minneapolis). The opening layered guitar sound is very indebted to The Church's classic track 'Under the Milky Way'. 

'Grow Up With You' is about me and my sister, the nature of 'sibling-hood' and a bit of a look back at my younger years. It's got a wonky groove with lots of guitars and was a little inspired by Paul Kelly's 'Post' as far as the sound.

'Crazy' is a love song that has a little bit of Appalachian influence - I was listening to lots of Carter Family tunes when I wrote it. It was recorded super lofi - just me and my telecaster in my bedroom with a SM58 and my guitar plugged straight into my old, dodgy interface. Recorded it on the same day it was written.

You are new on the scene! What have you been up to before the debut?
Before recent times, I worked a few professional jobs - started out as a lawyer and then worked for the government for a few years before having a bit of a 'reassessment' moment out of which Old Beginnings was born!
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Keeley Connolly